reducing climate change
TRANSCRIPT
www.winrock.org
Reducing Climate Change and Water Quality Impacts from Grain Production on Maryland's Eastern Shore
Jon Winsten, Tom Fisher, Rebecca Fox, Anne Gustafson, Jim Lewis, Neville Millar
www.winrock.org
Background• Crucial issues: Climate change and water quality • Nitrous oxide (N2O) has 310 times the radiative
forcing of carbon dioxide (CO2) • N2O is 7% of U.S. GHG emissions
– 73% is from agriculture • Agriculture is the leading source NPS pollution
to ground and surface waters in the U.S.
www.winrock.org
Background• Feeding 9 billion people by 2050.• Regulations decrease productivity and increase
costs.• Environmental markets provide prices for
“externalities” and can result in efficient outcomes.
www.winrock.org
Choptank River Watershed
www.winrock.org
Research Site
www.winrock.org
Research Treatments• Winter cover crops• Reduced N rate (80% of UMD recommendations)• Conservation rotation
– 80% N rate on corn – 80% N rate on winter wheat– Soybeans– Barley cover crop
www.winrock.org
Nitrous Oxide Sampling
www.winrock.org
Nitrous Oxide Sampling
www.winrock.org
Water Quality Sampling
www.winrock.org
Water Quality Sampling
www.winrock.org
Nitrous Oxide Sampling ScheduleTreatment: 80% N on Corn
date purpose20130129 winter fluxes
20130225 winter fluxes
20130408 spring fluxes prior to biosolids
20130513 3 days after biosolids
20130517 7 days after biosolids
20130530 7 days after planting corn, starter
20130614 10 days prior to side-dress
20130627 3 days after side-dress
20130702 8 days after side-dress
20130709 15 days after side-dress
20130828 2 weeks prior to harvest
20131007 3 weeks following harvest
20131106 7 weeks following harvest
www.winrock.org
Nitrous Oxide Sampling
www.winrock.org
Results: Winter Cover Cropping
22 3.7lbs N acre-1 (Nov-Mar)
36 32lbs N acre-1 (Dec-Mar)
www.winrock.org
Results: Reduced N Rate
45 29lbs N acre-1 (Nov-Mar)
32 30lbs N acre-1 (Dec-Mar)
www.winrock.org
Costs and Revenues
• Cover Crops– Potential Revenues
• Conservation payment: $70/ac• Carbon credits: 1MT CO2e/ac @ $10/MT = $10/ac• WQ credits: 10 lbs N/ac @ $5/lb = $50/ac
– Costs• Seed: $40/ac• Planting: $8/ac• Herbicide: $14/ac
– Profit = $130 - $62 = $68
www.winrock.org
Costs and Revenues
• 80% N Rate– Potential Revenues
• Carbon credits: 0.2MT CO2e/ac @ $10/MT = $2/ac• WQ credits: 8 lbs N/ac @ $5/lb = $40/ac
– Costs• Fertilizer: saved 40lbs N/ac @ $0.52/lb N = -$20.80• Yield loss: 30 bushels/ac @ $3.75/bu = $112.50
– Profit = $42 - $91.70 = $-49.70
www.winrock.org
Initial Conclusions
– Dry Year:• Cover crops reduced fall N2O fluxes winter/spring
tile drain NO3
• Reduced N rate reduced N2O and NO3 and did not affect yields
– Wet Year:• Cover crops did not reduce N2O, but did reduce
NO3• Reduced N rate lowered yields and had minimal
effect on N2O and NO3
www.winrock.org
Future Work
– Use measurement data to cal/val simulation models
– Use models to estimate impacts for farmers in Eastern Shore region
– Facilitate farmers’ transactions in environmental markets